Looking for that perfect gift for a special family in your life? Give the gift of play! A membership to Minnesota Children’s Museum is a gift that keeps on giving all year long. There are so many reasons to give a museum membership this holiday season. Here are the top seven:

7. People who get experiential gifts feel more connected to the gift giver. According to researchers from the University of Pennsylvania, gift receivers feel more connected to gift givers who give experiences instead of “stuff”. This is true even if they don’t do the actual experience together. Bonus: experiential gifts typically last longer than toys and stuff too!

6. Your gift membership helps spark learning through play for all kids and families. As a nonprofit organization, we rely on sales of memberships and admission tickets in addition to donations. Your gift membership will help ensure we can continue to provide dynamic, playful learning experiences to all kids and families in our community.

5. Members get access to special events, discounts and other great perks. Museum members get exclusive access to exhibit sneak peeks and other members-only events. They also receive discounts to the museum café and store, birthday parties, other local family attractions and other children’s museums around the country. Learn more.

4. There’s always something new to see and do at the museum. New exhibits come in, materials and activities rotate and change throughout the year — so there’s always something new for kids and families to discover and explore. In 2019, two blockbuster exhibits will be here – Wild Kratts: Creature Power and Rube Goldberg: The World of Hilarious Invention. It’s sure to be a great year ahead!

3. Families bond and make memories at the museum. When parents play with their kids, it strengthens the bond between them. The museum offers the perfect space for family togetherness away from the distractions of home (dishes to clean, lawns to mow, laundry to fold, etc.) Parents often discover something new about their kids when they visit and families build memories that last a lifetime.

2. The play that happens here builds brains and bodies. Our museum is intentionally designed to let kids take the lead. Our open-ended activities give kids the space and freedom to explore their interests and build 21st century skills that help them thrive in school and throughout life – skills like confidence, critical and creative thinking, communication and more. Learn more about the power of play.

1. A museum membership provides unlimited fun for a whole year! An annual membership to the museum provides a family with free admission to the museum. That means they can play in the four-story climber, create in the maker space, enjoy the tot spots, navigate the laser maze and enjoy all the other exhibits and experiences the museum has to offer for an entire year. Now, that’s an amazing gift!

Don’t wait! Get a museum membership by Dec. 12 to ensure the membership packet is delivered by Dec. 24.